The Kilmermobile

I hope that when Marco Facciola becomes my boss that he's merciful. Facciola, 16, has just designed and built an wooden bicycle. Not almost all wood or just a little metal, but wood except where he used glue. It includes a really slick looking ratcheting system intended to keep him from pedalling as he goes downhill. Now that he has finished the bike (a personal project needed for completion of an international baccalaureate curriculum) he plans to "focus on my schoolwork, my part-time job and sports." Since he's not at the office yet I at least have some time to look busy.

Yield to Life indeed

Don't worry: Yield to Life isn't some cryptic attempt to proselytize. In the traditional sense anyway. Time-trial monster David Zabriskie has decided being hit three times by cars was enough. So he's starting a public-education campaign to educate both cyclists and drivers.

Such efforts are not new. The League of American Bicyclists, for instance, talks a lot about cycling safety and works to train members to train the general public about how to ride safely.

Zabriskie's message isn't just share the road, but "to promote positive attitudes toward cyclists and replace any hostility that exists between motorists and cyclists with understanding, respect, and appreciation for all life on the road. Safety for every cyclist is the top priority of Yield to Life."

He, and the rest of us, have a lot of work to do. When I talk with noncycling friends many of them believe bikes shouldn't be on the road. I can usually bend that attitude even if I can't break it. I hope Yield to Life can provide me more ammunition as well as leverage Zabriskie's stardom and experience as someone who understands better than most that going for a ride should not just be a desperate attempt not to die.

I like stopping

I pretty much quit using my front brake in November. When I would release it the caliper would not totally retract so I would have to pull the brake off the rim manually. Using the rear brake wasn't optimal but at least I slowed down. And I figured I'll get my bike tuned up soon enough. Last week I took the 2100 into The Spin Cycle for its +/-5,000 mile tuneup. Adjustments included new brake and shifter cables all around. Finding: now I can confidently go faster into a curve or turn knowing that I've got stopping power if and when I need it. I notice most at two spots on my commute, here in the morning and here in the evening. The beautiful paradox: by knowing I can stop, I go faster.

Some weeks never end

For some cycle commuters bike to work week is every week. Others stick to the stricter definition of the week that includes May 15. And some riders just do it when they feel like it. Bike to Work Week is open to all approaches. Check out the map, event listings and forums. See or discuss what your locale is or isn't doing. There's a lot to talk about and Bike to Work Week wants to get the conversation started.

Just give me that countryside

This question came in shortly before my extended holiday hiatus. Time to tackle it.

Dear cycledork,

What's the advantage of bib shorts over regular shorts? I'm willing to believe there must be one (other than looking like Eddie Albert in Green Acres), but I'm hard pressed to figure out what it is.

-lady macsquish

Dear lady:

Isn't looking like Eddy Albert enough? I do not own any bibs but I'll probably break down one of these days and buy a pair just to see how the other half lives. The magic — even greater than looking like America's most legendary lawyer turned farmer — is that bibs are widely felt to fit better and more comfortably than standard shorts. One review was particularly effusive about the Performance Elite Y Bib Short. It's hard to beat $40 for bibs, a price that's dirt cheap for any lower-body cycling wear. To give some perspective Bicycling magazine has had an award category for "Best Bibs under $200." The Elites probably merit my respect but it's hard to pull the trigger on something I expect would feel as good to wear as the other Performance shorts I have. My bet is that the closer I could come to that penthouse view bibwise the more likely I would be to ride in comfort.

Yours in velophility,

Cycledork

P.S. Any bib owners out there? Are they the Manhattan or Hooterville of cycling togs? We need to know.

Talk sense to me — I beseech you

This is what comes of having customized Google subject feeds. Earlier tonight I saw an item about a rather ridiculous, obsessive event at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte — the Tar Heel state's time-trial capital — on Feb. 9 about hows and whys of cycling time trails. Moments later I pressed send to spend $27.50 to sign up for the the event. I'm interested in this seminar (?) even though I'm told there's no reason to bring my bike (which means a day off the road) and I'll get to drive 360 miles round trip. I really hope I can find time trials closer to home. If this isn't proof that I need to be saved from myself I don't know what is.

The hills are alive

A complete stranger, Sherri, has sent in this question:

Quit smoking in July after 35 years. Bought an entry level bike in Nov, Felt z100. Riding the trainer most days at 60 minutes with Reoch Zonneveld workouts. I've been riding outdoors temps are in the 50s (can't do much in lower temps).

I've been reading about this cadence versus wattage stuff. My big fear is hitting a hill. I know I just need to do it and stopping
wondering/worrying about it.

Question, is there anything specific I can do in my trainer to help when I hit that first hill?

Dear Sherri:

It's hard to express how thrilled I am by your question — and what a good one. First of all welcome to cycling. I started on a trainer for about nine months before I got my road bike in 2004. I am not familiar with Reoch Zonneveld but I'm sure I would have benefitted from 50 different workouts.

About the hill in your future and how to approach it. First of all, accept that you'll encounter one and that you will slow down as you ascend. There's no shame in that. The good news is that the more hills you encounter and more directly you face them the stronger and faster you will become.

Now how can you and your trainer prepare? The bad news is that there is no realistic trainer substitute for a hill that I am willing to pay for. That category does exist though and includes the Travel Trac Real Axiom V3 Trainer ($799.99, performancebike.com) and the TACX I-Magic Trainer ($649.99, coloradocyclist.com for starters with lots and lots of add ons available). These are systems that run through a PC and both include variable resistance. I sampled the TACX once and it has the capacity to be a real buttkicker.

For cheapskates like me, the first step is a climbing block ($15 and up). The block raises your front wheel and is supposed to simulate climbing. I keep telling myself that's what it does. The second step is to crank up the tension, or resistance, on your trainer (free). Resistance is the functional equivalent of gravity, which is what keeps us in one place longer than we want to be when we're going up hill.

Short answer to your question: Work on keeping your cadence up at higher resistance. If you're already maxing out your resistance it's time to hit the road … up hill. And grade be damned.

Yours in velophility,
Cycledork

And now, closer to home

This morning I signed up for the Frostbite Tour. While still a haul — it starts in Johnston County — it's closer to home than the Bicycle Tour of Colorado. And sooner, since the Frostbite is Feb. 23. I'm shooting for 100 miles, as I did last year, but I reserve the right to bail out at 100k, as I did last year. Distance will depend on temperature. Last year the ride started in the mid 30s and crept up to about 50. Ten degrees warmer and a century should be a snap. Ten degrees colder and I'll probably bag it at 40 miles.

Summer options

Several days of brutal climbs highlight the 14th Annual Bicycle Tour of Colorado. The brochure arrived today. The "Durango/Telluride Loop" comprises 403 miles from June 22 to June 28. Colorado cycling guru Michael Seeberg rates five of the segments (including two optional ones) as difficult. The highlight, which the brochure describes as an option and Seeberg calls a bonus, is the East Portal Road in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Draw your own conclusions about the challenge that seven miles of 16 percent grade would provide.

As tempting as the BTC sounds, I think I'll stick with northeastern Colorado in August or September. Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park has been resurfaced and I'm itchy to try it again. Call me a coward, but I'm rationalizing that 23 miles of climbing topping out at nearly 12,200 feet makes up for any grade deficiencies.